Bicycle or like vehicle.



No. 747,789. I PATENTED DEG; 22,1903.

L. B. SOMERBY. BICYCLE 0R LIKE VEHICLE.

APPICIGATION FILED 81:11. 9, 1899. N0 MODEL. I} SHEETSSHEET 1.

PATENTED D130. 22-, 1903. I v L. B. SOMBRBY. BICYCLE" 0R LIKE VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, 1899.

4 SHEETSSHBET 2.

'NO MODEL.

PATENTED DEC. 22, 1903. L. 'SOMERBY. BICYCLE 0R LIKE VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9; 1899. I

4 SHEETS-SEBET 3.

N0 MODEL.

No. 747,789. I PATENTED 1350.22, 1903.

L'. BuSO'MERBY.

BICYCLE 0R LIKE VEHICLE.

APPLICATION PI'LBI) SEPT. 9, 1899. no MODEL. I 4 sums-411mm 4.

I Y A u wmm No. 747,789. Patented December 22, 1903.

UNITE-D. STATES; PATE T OFFICE.

LORENZO B. SOMERBY, OF BUFFALO, NEW Y RK, ASSIGNOR TO THE GEORGE I N. PIEROE COMPANY, OF BUFFALO, N W YORK.

BICYCLE OR LIKE VEHICLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters P atentNO. 747,789, dated December 22, 1903.

Application filed September 9,1899- Serial No. 729.947. (Ito model.)

To all whom it may wncern: ;to maintain the sections in proper relation, Be it known that I, LORENZO B. SOMERBY, jwhile permitting a limited amount of play or a citizen of the United States,residii.ig at Buf relative movement. It has for some time past falo, in the county of Erie and State of New been deemed desirable to combine these two York, have invented certain new and useful features of construction in one and the same 55 Improvements in Bicycles or Like Vehicl'es,of' .machine,and various constructions have been which the following is a specification. brought forward with this end in view. The My invention pertains to bicycles and like present invention is in the same direction vehicles, and has reference more particularly and is deemed to meet therequireinents of 10 to the construction of the frame, whereby it' the situation in a peculiarly advantageous 6o isadapted to receive toothed driving-gear and manner both from the builders and from the to permit a yielding action of one part rela- 'rlders standpoint.

Lively to the other for the purpose of absorb; The usual rigidbicycle-frame has at or near ing the shock, -jar, or vibration incident to the lower end of the saddle-post tubea transridingover rough roads. verse shell or short tube built into the frame The invention is susceptible of more or less "and adapted to receive the'ball-races for thevariation as to its embodiment, a preferred pedal-shaft. Under the present construction form being here adopted for purposes ofillus the races, cones, and attendant parts are cartration and explanation. l ried'iu' the walls of the main gear shell or cas- 20 In the drawings accompanyingthis descriping, which in turn is mounted or swiveled'to tion, Figure l is a side elevation of the ir n'' .rock orturn in a vertical plane ina large ring proved frame,showing its general outline,the ,or hoop builtinto the front frame or frame-secgear casing or shell at the pedal-shaft, and tion at or about'the point at which the pedalthe yielding or telescopic brace; Fig. 2,a top shaft barrel or hanger has hitherto commonly 25 plan view of the rear fork, main gear shell been located. The main gearshellor casingis 7 or case, pedal-shaft, and cranks; Fig. 3, aformed asa part of a. rear frame or frame-secside elevation of said parts looking from the tion, and hence all the parts of the drivingdriving side of'the machine, a portion of the gear-requiring nice adjustment can be asseminain gear shell or casing being broken away bled, adjusted, and, if need be, ground to 0 to show interior construction. Fig. 4 is a proper bearing before connecting the rear top plan view of the rear forkand parts carframe with the main orfront frame, such conried thereby, the main gear shell or casing, nection being subsequently made withoutdisand pedal-shaft, portions being shown in secturbing or destroying the accurate adjusttion to better illustrate construction of parts; merits thus effected.

35 Fig. 5, a cross-section on line w a: of Fig. 4, Referring now to the drawings and first to showing the mode of-adjusting and securing Fig. 1, t e frame will be seen to consist of a the (one of the driven pinion at the fore end main trapezoidal front section A and a rear of the transiniitirig-shaft; Fig. 6,a view simifork or section B, the latter jointed at its forlar to Fig. 4, but showing amodified form of ward end to the main frame and connected 4o driving-gear and differeu t adjusting devices therewith atitsrearend byatelescopic springfor thepedal-shaft cones, Fig. 7,a view showbrace C. The main or front frame-section in; another modification. comprises the steering-head 0t, saddle-post In the construction of bicycles various detube b, perch or reach 0, and horizontal memsirable'features have been brought forward, her or strut d, all preferably made of tubing 5 among others the substituting of toothed or welded, brazed, soldered,or'mechanically fas- 5 iniernieshing gear-wheels for the more comtoned-at their points of union, as usual. The num chain-and-sprocket wheels and the insaddle-post tube 1) and perch or reach 0 are troduction of a joint between the front and not directly joined one to lhejother, but are rear frame or frame-sectioiis and the proboth united to a large hoop, ring, or annular o vision of an elastic brace or yielding support bearing 6, within which is swiveled the main ioo gear shell or casing, hereinafter described. In other respects the main frame is or may be of ordinary construction.

The rear frame-section or fork B comprises two side bars fand g, the former provided at its forward end with an annular shell h, which forms the body of the main gear shell or casing, and the latter provided with a disk '5, which constitutes a cover for said casing. The annular shell h is of such internal diameter as to accommodate readily alarge bevel gear or other toothed wheel D, formed with or secured to a pedal-shaft E, which latter is carried in suitable bearings supported by and concentric with the gear-casing and its cover. These bearings are preferably of the ball type, comprising racesj, seated in shouldered sockets formed in necks or lateral tubular extensions of the shell and cover,cones 70, encircling the pedal-shaft E, and balls Z, interposed between the races and cones.

The cover 2' is made fast to the annular shell or casing h by screws m, tap-bolts, or other convenient fastenings, so that the two membersf and 9 thus connected constitute a rigid fork analogous in its general form and features to the rear fork of an ordinary bicycle except that it is separate and distinct from the main or front frame-section.

For the purpose of uniting the front and rear frame-sections, maintaining them in proper relation, and permitting a relative movement of said sections about the axis of the pedal-shaft, the ring or hoop e is interiorly grooved to receive a set of balls 12, and the shell 71 is circumferentially shouldered, grooved to afford a partial seat or bearing for the balls, and externally threaded on its smaller portion to receive a large nut or ring F, which completes the bearing or seat for the balls n and by confining them between the outer hoop or ring 6 and the shell or casing 72. locks said parts together, though permitting free rotary movement of one relatively to the other about their common axis.

The races j are seated in the lateral necks of the shell or casing h and its cover 2', as above mentioned, and they remain fixed in position.

The cones k may be adjusted in different ways, one of which is illustrated in Fig. 4 and others in Figs. 6 and 7. Referring first to Fig. 4, it will be seen that the pedal-shaft E is encircled near each end or outside of and beyond the races j by an externallythreaded sleeve 0, the inner end of which is reduced to form a neck and bearing-shoulder for a cone 7t. Encircling and screwing upon the sleeve 0 is a nut 13, the outer face of which bears against the boss or hub of crankarm G. If the nut be turned in direction to unscrew or back off from the sleeve 19, being itself prevented by the crank from receding, it will force the sleeve forward or inward, carrying with it the cone 7c and tightening the hearing at that end of the pedal-shaft,

ing at the opposite end from moving longitudinally. The sleeve 0 may be splined or feathered upon the shaft to prevent it from rotating thereon while the nut p is being turned, and the nut is held at any desired adjustment by a screw-pin q, passing through a hole tapped in the crank boss or hub, the end of the pin entering one or another socket in the nut, as shown in Fig. 4. By backing the cone and advancing the other the pedalshaft may be adjusted longitudinally to the limited extent required to insure the precise depth of engagement of, the gear-teeth necessary to their most efficient action. In Fig. 6 the construction is somewhat similar, but the cone bearing-sleeves 0 are made in the form of nuts and screwed directly upon the pedal-shaft, being backed up by lock-nuts or jam-nuts q, as shown. In said Fig. (i I have shown the usual thin metal washer 0" between the cone-carrying nut and jam-nut, a tongue of said washer entering a slot or keyway in the shaft and the washer serving to prevent the cone-carrying nut from being turned in the act of tightening the lock-nut. Fig. 7 shows the same construction and arrangement as Figs. 4 and 5, except that the pe riphery of the nut is made with semicircular notches 71 to receive a fastening-screw i Under all constructions washers s, of felt or like compressible material, are advisably placed across spaces between the races and the cones to exclude dust and grit. They are held in place by the cone-adjusting nuts and may be made to carry lubricant, which they absorb freely and give off very gradually.

It will be noted upon referring to Figs. 4 and 6 that the interior space or opening of casing 71 is of a diameter greater than that of the gear-wheel D, which latter may therefore be freely inserted and removed through its open side when the cover plate or disk 6 is removed. This gear-wheel, which may be of the ordinary bevel form or of any of the various roller-tooth types, may be formed integral with the pedal-shaft in whole or in part or made separate and secured thereto in any convenient Way, two forms being shown-one in Figv 4 and another in Fig. 6.

First explaining the construction shown in Fig. 4, it will be seen that the pedal-shaft is there represented as enlarged in diameter at or near its mid-length, the enlarged portion being stepped or made of differing diameters. The smaller section is threaded in one direction, the next section is threaded in the reverse direction, and the largest portion, in the form of a radial disk, constitutes a stop-shoulder or abutment. The gear-wheel D has a central eye tapped or threaded to screw upon the larger threaded portion of the pedaLshaft. It is screwed thereon until its face bears firmly against the side face of the disk 25, after which a binding-nut u is screwed upon the smaller threaded portion the shaft being prevented by a similar bear- 1 of the pedal-shaft until itbears firmly against becoming loosened.

the rear face of the gear-wheel D, thus serving to prevent the latter from unscrewing or It is of the utmost importance that this result be perfectly attained, and it is for this reason that the threads are reversed for the wheel and the binding-nut, so that if one loosens the least bit it shall cause the other to tighten correspondingly. By varying the diameters of the two threaded sections this result is more perfectly assured'than it otherwise would be. The wheel is tapped and the shaft is threaded in a direction to cause the wheel to bind more tightly when the driving power is applied to the pedal-shaft, or, in other words, a right-hand thread isemployed when the driving-pinion is applied from the left-hand side and screwed against a shoulder toward the right-hand side of the machine, and vice versa. I I

Instead of the above-described mode of applying the gear-wheel D it may be made integral with the pedal'shaft; but as it is comparatively difficult .to cut the gear-teeth under such arrangement and as no change of gear could be made without change of pedalshaft I prefer to make only the body or radial disk of the gear integral with the shaft and to form the teeth in or upon an annular plate or a ring 12, which, encircling a raised flange or shoulder to, formed on the side face of the disk or body of the gear and secured thereto by screws or tap-bolts, is at once accuratelycentered and firmly secured in place. In this, as in the previously-described form, the gear-wheel may be of any preferred type with rigid teeth or with rollers, as preferred.

The wheel D is designed to give motion through a suitable transmitting-shaft H to the rear Wheel of the bicycle or other vehicle. It is Very desirable that this driving-wheel be located as near the. medial plane of-the machine as practicable for various reasons, and this object I fully attain by the construction set forth, at the same time securinga narrow tread orshort pedal-shaft and producing a peculiarlysym metrical and Well-proportioned structure. So, too, the rear fork takes practically the usual lines and proportions of that of the common chain-driven machine.

The transmitting-shaft H is by preference made of tubularform to combine lightness and strength and is carried longitudinally through the side barfof the rear frame or fork, but is of a diameter to-leave clearance between its circumference and the interior of said bar. Each end of the shaft is furnished with asolid stem or end piece as, brazed,

transmitting-gear. Figs. 4E-and 6 show the pinion I at the forward end of shaft H, and

Fig. at shows also the pinion J at the rear end of said shaft, the latter meshing with a pinion K, formed upon or secured to the hub L of the rear ground-Wheel. To attach the pinions firmly to the shaft H, yet permit their ready removal and replacement, each pinion is formed with a somewhat extended tubular neck 2 on the side or face nearestthe collar y of its stem 00, and the end of said neck is provided with a notch or notches a to receive a lug or lugs b, formedon the stem 00, as best shown in Fig. 5. A nut N, preferably of conical form, screwed upon the end of stem :0, maintains the pinion in position.

To properly locate and support the pinions I J and their shaft H,Iemploy ball-bearings, 8

essentially like those provided for the pedalshaft. Theraces c and d of these hearings are seated in circular sockets or depressions formed, respectively, in a lateral swell or enlargement of the annular shell or casing h, to 0 a neck. of which the side bar f is brazed,

welded, or otherwise united, and in a fitting M, similarly joined to the rear endof' said side bar or formed therewith.

To afford proper adjustment of the cones of 5 the pinion or shaft bearings, I adopt practically the same construction shown in connection with the pedahshaft bearings in Fig.4- that is to say,the neck .2 ofeach pinion is encircled by a sleeve or collar 6, bearing a. cone lOO f, and is externally threaded to receive an adjustingnut g, the back face of which bears against the body of the pinion, as plainly shown in Figs. 4 and 6. The cone-carrying collar will advisably be splined or otherwise guided upon the sleeve a: and held against turning thereon.

. In Fig. 5 I have represented the nut g as provided Wllh a series of peripheral notches h to receive the nose of a holding spring or 11c nut g after the manner of screW-pinsq of said figure employed to hold nutsp of the pedal-shaft bearings.

It is important to provide for nice adjustment of the rear-wheel axlerelatively to side barf, tothe end that the pinions J and K may no have'precisely the proper depth of engagement or mesh. Hencethe fitting M is formed with a boss in on its inner side,which is tapped to receive a nipple Z, which in turn is tapped to receive the threaded end of the rear-wheel axle O. The nipple Z may be adjusted to protrude more or less from or beyond the side of the fitting M, and being held at its proper adjustment by a jam-nut m it forms an abutment and alimitiug-stop for the shoul- 1 o dered and threaded end of the axle O, and consequently determines the mesh of the pinions. A similar result may be attained by adjusting the cone-bearings of the wheel itself; but this is more dificult, and hence less satisfactory.

The side bar 9 is or may be provided with the customary slotted tang to receive the opposite end of axle O, and a casing of convenient form and construction incloses the pinions J and K.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. A bicycle-frame,comprisinga rigid front section provided with a hoop or ring adapted to receive Within it a gear shell or casing; a detachable rear fork or section having a gear shell or casing adapted to fit Within said hoop or ring; and a driving-gear arranged within said gear-shell, the parts being connected substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with a front frame for bicycles, comprising a steering-head, a saddle-post tube, a perch or reach, a strut or brace connecting the steering-head and saddle-post tube, and a hoop or ring located at the junction of the perch or reach and saddle-post tube; a rear frame having a gearshell adapted to fit within said hoop or ring; and driving-gear contained within said shell.

3. In combination with a front frame for bicycles, comprising a steering-head a saddle-post b, reach or perch c, and ring or hoop e; a rear frame or fork having a gear-shell adapted to fit and turn within said hoop or ring; and gearing contained within said shell.

4. A bicycle-frame, comprising afront section A provided with a hoop or ring e; a rear fork or section B provided with a gear shell or casing h, the latter seated within the hoop or ring 6; a driving-gear mounted Within the gear shell or casing; and a yielding brace or support for the section B, whereby one section is permitted to move relatively to the other.

5. In combination with a front frame-section, having a hoop or ring; a rear fork or section, provided with a gear shell or casing; bearings carried by and concentric with said casing; a pedahshaft mounted in said bearings; and a driving-gear carried by said shaft and arranged Within the gear-shell, substantially as described.

6. In combination with a front frame-section, having a hoop or ring; a rear fork or section, having a gear shell or casing swiveled in said ring; a pedal-shaft mounted in bearings coaxial with the shell and ring; and a driving-gear carried by said pedal-shaft; the parts being combined and arranged substantially as described, whereby the pedalshaft, the gear-shell, and the hoop or ring are given a common axis.

7. In a bicycle or like vehicle, the combination of a front frame provided with a hoop or ring; a rear frame or section having a shell or casing fitting within said hoop or ring; and balls or rollers interposed between the hoop or ring and casing and serving both to lock the parts together and to reduce friction between them.

8. In combination with a front frame orsection A provided with a ring 6, having an internal groove or channel, a rear frame or fork having a circular enlargement to fit Within said ring and provided with a peripheralchannel facing the groove of the ring; and a ring or not screwed upon the circular enlargement of the rear section and serving to complete the groove or channel thereof and to confine therein a series ofballs or rollers by which the two parts are locked together.

9. In a bicycle-frame, the combination of a front frame terminating at the rear in a seatpost tube provided with a hoop or ring at its lower end, said hoop or ring having an uninterrupted opening through it from side to side of diameter sufficient to permit the facewise or axial introduction of a circular gear shell or head of a rear frame; and a rear frame or fork having a circular gear-shell adapted to fit within said hoop or ring.

10. In a gear'driven bicycle, the combination with a suitable framing having a tubular side bar fand races of d at opposite ends thereof; a transmitting-shaft H extending longitudinally through said side bar; pinions carried by said shaft at opposite ends; conebearing sleeves mounted upon the necks or hubs of said pinions; nuts encircling said sleeves and bearing against the pinions and serving to adjust the cones; and balls interposed between the cones and races, substantially as described and shown.

11. In combination with a front frame having a hoop or ring, a rear frame, separate and distinct from the front frame, comprising a rear wheel-fork, and a shell or casing connecting the two members of the fork and havingatrue circular periphery exposed throughout its circumference, whereby said casing is adapted to fit and turn concentrically within the hoop or ring of the front frame.

12. In combination with a front frame-section provided with a hoop or ring, a rear fork or section provided with a circular shell or casing adapted to contain driving-gear, and to fit and turn within the hoop or ring.

13. In combination with front frame-section A having a ring or hoop e, aseparate and distinct rear frame-section or fork provided with a shell or casing for driving-gear, having a removable cover or side plate to permit introduction and removal of the gearing.

14. In combination with a front frame having a hoop or ring, a rear frame-section or fork, separate and distinct from the front frame-section, havinga shell or casing adapted to receive and house driving-gearing, and provided with lateral projections containing bearings for a pedalshaft, the periphery of said shell being truly circular and completely exposed, whereby the shell is adapted to fit and turn or oscillate within the hoop or ring of the front frame.

15. In combination with the front framesection of a bicycle or like vehicle, provided with a hoop or ring; a rear frame-section or wins?) 5 fork, separate and distinct from the front i with the axis of the pedalrshaft, and fitting frame-section, comprising bars or Inembersf and free to turn within the hoop orring of and g; a gear shellor casing h, carried by the the front frame. o memberf and provided with a central pro- In testimony whereof I have signed iny 5 jection or neck; a cover-plate tcarried by the name to this specification in the presence of 15 member g and likewise provided with a cen- I two subscribing witnesses.

tral projection or neck; shaft-bearings car- LORENZO B; SOMERBY. ried by said necks; and a pedal-shaft E car- Witnesses: ried by said bearings, the periphery of the HENRY MAY,

:0 gear shell or casing being truly concentric S. J. THOMPSON. 

